UNST 137A: FRING Globalization Prof, Rodney Koeneke ‘TAKE-HOME WRITING: GUEROS (Mexico, 2014) dit, Alonso Ruizpalacios "=DUE: Monday, 11/9 in Main Session** ‘500 word minimum (Times New Roman, double-spaced, 1” margins) Please aote: This is a minimum, There iso maximum. Giteros is the debut jilm of Mexican director Alonso Ruizpalacios, Since its release last yea, it's won a number of international awards, including the Best First Feature award in the Berin Film Festival and Best Cinematography at New York's Tribeca Film Festival. (It also been nominated for awards at film festivals in Havana, Lisbon, Jerusalem, Odessa, and of course in Mexico, where it won 5 Ariel Awards, Mexico's version ofthe Academy Awards). One question to consider about Gilera is why this very local portrait of if in Mexico City, rooted inthe particular slang and poites ofthe Distrito Federal, has gamered so much giobal attention, (I've posted some supplementary ‘materials about the film, including recent reviews andl an interview with the director, on D2L). ‘The film shares sever! points of connection with Daniel Hemandea’s portrait of 21% ‘century life in the D.F. in Down and Delirious in Mexico City. Consider, for instance: + The role that music pays in shaping/finding purpose and identity; "The prominent ple given young people and Youth eulture; +The themes of belonging and connection, or the difficulties in attaining them (often expressed through the use of the term “glero") “+ The banda-like betaviors of Sombra and Santos in their “slacker” subculture: * The effects of polieal protest on youth the student protests of 1968 for Hemandez and the members of various bandas he talks to; ofthe 1999 student protests at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) for Ruizpalacios)' + The stark gap between the rch and the poor, the educated and the deprived, in a tlobal place like Mexico City. )UESTION ‘What do you think afm review of Gieros written by Daniel Hernandez woud 100k like? ‘What aspect ofthe film would he be most likely to comment on, do you thik, and what might he say about particular characters or scenes? Where woud bis view of slobalization—of ie in global place like Mexico City-—agree with or differ from, the portrait we gt inthe fin? (Please use specific passages/scenes from Hernan’ book, and Scenes/momentsicharactes from the film, in making your ease.) lastly Gece of 0 00 sue) oer the dos propos charge an nan he ae ‘UNAM wa te par the pees wel which Snes non ose dg te see ates perp ohe8preeeHerander would gre that the fl grasps the concepts of what it means fo beater in Mexico city, wl asthe sil aspect of what it mens to ive in Mexico ety. especialy during that crucial ine in hstory—but th film als to grasp anything more than hat. The in neglects he plbal pact thats freigninfluense—foreign cua, transnational corporations, Mexico city being iy fll ‘fon he native peopl, bat ity Fl of people am allover te word, We donot se anyone forsgn, or the perspective ofsomeone whois wealhy and foreign—gving us some insight ito the poor ‘wealth distribution in Mexico city, but that s something we donot gt in the film Lastly i's firto say thatthe Hemander would agree thatthe music aspect of the youth was portrayed asondingly—muis throughout the fil was always apr ofthe day litof Sombra, Santos, re ‘ieee ‘Tomas, and Ana, Musi wasan ote of expression forthe youth, nous the main characters; music is.) pmsl eros md pie—totaintarening tment in forming an entity. That vr identity is shaped by the style that somes slong with the musie—and more SF hy often than nt, foreign brands, which ae filed to be portrayed inte im, “cool, Tmean, which is what P43 for ‘eadr ‘the companies like Nike vigorously sell to young Mexicans” (60). ou Specific quite/ Scene?UNST 137A Globalization Rodney Koencke ‘Aaron Salazar ums Down and Delirious in Mexico Cty and Gero both offer a unique perspective of what its like to live inthe global city that is Mexico City—that being said, contemplating the eitique of Daniel emandez, the author of Down and Delirious in Mexico City it fit to say that Hernandez would review the movie witha sense of familarity—living in Mexieeity himself he knows what it's ik... and hat ts kod toe labeled a a eer in the city. ermandez as ben led ger many ines by many different people ven efeqedio Spent emorple ? T advastt gee thet ‘himself as agro at some pints (14) he knows very well the feeling of aliclation and frutlike ta P= eee ee prospect that occurs when yon are judged as an outsider based onthe color of your skin, and he would Hg sed gett fn dsc ernment a ings whe ie cree =o ‘traveling through Mexico wits Tomas. feel as though this would be a very huge concept he would focus “17 cn, bees himself Roos wat if ths, as able oreo tan if what we ad sen was t,o wold eno i Asfaras scenes go, cain oe whe th stds march sos Meio Cif pst the cont condos fer the nine the ais sounded an engl in thir in protests his cus, Hemandez woul comment on sina iin an vn at has curt hin; Herder vas within Mis iy fr th protests oe wines in the 1990's, what ‘but Heenandes could speak or the protests, or rather socal tensions that occured in Mexico city during} vad? ities fase, nk, iho tina hme, “Deah ote emo Deubioke_/ . «mos (92) as shouts by he antemo protesters during an encounter ofemos and nonemesin Bt_/ som, | hope, 2 Hew wad heeedin